A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Description

There are 7 options for you listed below pick the easiest one for you and leave some indication of which option you chose. The only source is this story for any quotes.

1. From Hippolyta’s speeches make a list of what the reader finds out about her. For
example, form her first speech, we find out she is not as anxious for time to pass as
Theseus is. Write a character analysis of Hippolyta using that list. Your response will thus contain (i) a bulleted list of character observations about Hippolyta, including textual
references (MLA style), and (ii) at least two pages-long analysis of Hippolyta as a character. You many focus on questions such as: What is her function in the play? How does this character develop the theme(s) in the play?

2. Make a list of Puck’s activities. Write a character analysis of Puck using that list. Your response will thus contain (i) a bulleted list of activity observations about Puck, including textual references (MLA style), and (ii) at least two pages-long analysis of Puck as a character. What is his (or her?) function in the play? How does this character develop the theme(s) in the play?

3. Read closely Lysander’s statement: “The course of true love never did run smooth” (I.1. 134) Explain it and discuss how it fits each of the four pairs of lovers (so far).
4. Helena says, “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind. And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” (I.1.234- 235) How does this statement apply to the four pairs of lovers? Back up your argument with a reference to at two other quotes or parts of the

play.

5. How does Bottom’s line, “reason and love keep little company together nowadays” (III.1. 144-145) fits his relationship with Titania? How might it apply to the other
lovers? Back up your argument with a reference to at two other quotes or parts of the
play.

6. In Act II, Helena laments: “We cannot fight for love, as men may do;
We should be wooed and were not made to woo” (II. 1. 238-242).
Even though these lines were written in the 16th century, are they still true today? Why? Why not? Back up your argument with a reference to at two other quotes or parts of the
play as you discuss any differences that you discern between men and women.

7. Creative Prompt. Write your own imagined short story about, or dialogue between, one
of the play’s couples “20 years later”, or set in contemporary times. Include a paragraph-long author’s statement, in which you explain your choices: what is the setting of this contemporary adaption, who are the characters, and why? (The dialogue does not need to be in poetry
form, but of course can be!)